Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in North Carolina is $90,000/year ($43.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $97,129 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $90K get you in North Carolina?
About art directors
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for art directors in North Carolina runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, North Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $86K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in North Carolina
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $104K | +16% | 200 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $94K | +4% | 100 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $90K | +0% | N/A |
| Greensboro-High Point | $86K | -5% | 100 |
| Wilmington | $85K | -6% | 40 |
| Winston-Salem | $84K | -7% | 90 |
| Asheville | $73K | -19% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,388/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is art director a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $90K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for art directors?
North Carolina pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in North Carolina?
The median is $90,000 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,460, and experienced art directors can clear $142,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,638/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 22.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a art directors salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median art directors salary is worth about $97,129 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do art directors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.